Narrative:

Initial clearance was for act 195 degree radial to litle intersection (36 DME from act) and then direct to ile. As the PNF, I was on communication #2 and the captain was flying, handling communication #1. Gray approach issued the captain a clearance to descend and maintain 3000 ft and to turn right heading 240 degrees. The captain read back the clearance and proceeded to follow the clearance as I was returning from communication #2. Upon rolling out on the 240 degree heading the captain and I discussed what an unusual vector this was since we were north of where the controllers usually turn us. In the process of discussing this we both observed spotting flares from the ground in front of us and a red tracer coming from the ground. Now realizing something was not right and suspecting that restr area R-6302B was 'hot' we talked to gray approach to question what we were looking at and approach immediately issued a 180 degree heading. Also, prior to talking to approach, we saw an object coming at us and striking the aircraft, which upon landing at killeen municipal (ile) a visual inspection of the aircraft was accomplished and with no damage noted, we determined it to be a bird strike. After turning to the 180 degree heading we discussed with approach what had happened and approach stated that the clearance was a 240 degree heading 'upon departing' litle intersection. We discussed the incident between ourselves and with gray approach upon landing at ile and we told them it was a suspected bird strike with nothing else mentioned. As the captain and I have both learned from this, that even if ATC issues a clearance that could be through a 'cold' area we will treat it as 'hot' and question ATC. Also if it was not documented in this, we never did enter the restr area and this was confirmed to us by gray approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMB 120 FLC DEV. CLRNC INTERP.

Narrative: INITIAL CLRNC WAS FOR ACT 195 DEG RADIAL TO LITLE INTXN (36 DME FROM ACT) AND THEN DIRECT TO ILE. AS THE PNF, I WAS ON COM #2 AND THE CAPT WAS FLYING, HANDLING COM #1. GRAY APCH ISSUED THE CAPT A CLRNC TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND TO TURN R HDG 240 DEGS. THE CAPT READ BACK THE CLRNC AND PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE CLRNC AS I WAS RETURNING FROM COM #2. UPON ROLLING OUT ON THE 240 DEG HDG THE CAPT AND I DISCUSSED WHAT AN UNUSUAL VECTOR THIS WAS SINCE WE WERE N OF WHERE THE CTLRS USUALLY TURN US. IN THE PROCESS OF DISCUSSING THIS WE BOTH OBSERVED SPOTTING FLARES FROM THE GND IN FRONT OF US AND A RED TRACER COMING FROM THE GND. NOW REALIZING SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT AND SUSPECTING THAT RESTR AREA R-6302B WAS 'HOT' WE TALKED TO GRAY APCH TO QUESTION WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AND APCH IMMEDIATELY ISSUED A 180 DEG HDG. ALSO, PRIOR TO TALKING TO APCH, WE SAW AN OBJECT COMING AT US AND STRIKING THE ACFT, WHICH UPON LNDG AT KILLEEN MUNICIPAL (ILE) A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND WITH NO DAMAGE NOTED, WE DETERMINED IT TO BE A BIRD STRIKE. AFTER TURNING TO THE 180 DEG HDG WE DISCUSSED WITH APCH WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND APCH STATED THAT THE CLRNC WAS A 240 DEG HDG 'UPON DEPARTING' LITLE INTXN. WE DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT BTWN OURSELVES AND WITH GRAY APCH UPON LNDG AT ILE AND WE TOLD THEM IT WAS A SUSPECTED BIRD STRIKE WITH NOTHING ELSE MENTIONED. AS THE CAPT AND I HAVE BOTH LEARNED FROM THIS, THAT EVEN IF ATC ISSUES A CLRNC THAT COULD BE THROUGH A 'COLD' AREA WE WILL TREAT IT AS 'HOT' AND QUESTION ATC. ALSO IF IT WAS NOT DOCUMENTED IN THIS, WE NEVER DID ENTER THE RESTR AREA AND THIS WAS CONFIRMED TO US BY GRAY APCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.